TwinSpires Sportsbook, Online Casino To Debut In Michigan, Replacing BetAmerica

The launch of Michigan online gambling will represent a crucial turning point for one operator. Churchill Downs Incorporated will consolidate its online wagering brands into TwinSpires Michigan, the start of a company-wide pivot away from the BetAmerica brand.

TwinSpires has been the horse racing wagering brand for CDI since 2007, according to Legal Sports Report. BetAmerica was the company’s brand for sports betting and iGaming in multiple states.

Online gambling will launch this month in Michigan. TwinSpires Michigan will be among 15 sports betting operators and 15 online casino platforms once the market matures.

TwinSpires Sportsbook to debut in Michigan

For at least a week, CDI has been advertising TwinSpires Sportsbook digitally in Michigan, with Facebook ads asking customers to register with their email addresses for further updates.

It could be a cross-sell opportunity, too, as TwinSpires has been taking online horse racing bets in Michigan since September.

“Our TwinSpires brand has consistently delivered over 13 years and is associated with more than a century of wagering experience,” said Bill Mudd, president and chief operating officer of CDI, in a statement. “That history and heritage offers a unique point of difference in a competitive space.”

CDI will expand the TwinSpires brand in Michigan first before replacing BetAmerica in other states. The change will come throughout the country in the first half of this year.

Currently, BetAmerica operates in Colorado, Indiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

“We remain focused on building a profitable sports betting and iGaming business that provides our customers with an integrated experience alongside our horse racing wagering platform,” Mudd said.

“The transition to TwinSpires not only generates marketing efficiencies, but also allows us to deliver a more complete overall experience to our growing online wagering customer base.”

Ideally, the TwinSpires sportsbook, casino, and horse betting platforms will allow users to seamlessly move from one online gambling option to the other.

Another last-minute development for TwinSpires Michigan

CDI has a history of getting things done right under the wire in Michigan.

Last year, TwinSpires went live for online horse betting in Michigan right under the Kentucky Derby wire in September.

The company also took the first legal sports bets in the Upper Peninsula on the first night of the NFL season on Sept. 10. That’s when the BetAmerica Sportsbook opened at Island Resort Casino in Harris, near Escanaba.

TwinSpires confirmed to Playinmichigan that the BetAmerica Sportsbook at Island Resort will rebrand as TwinSpires during the first half of this year.

According to LSR, BetAmerica had less than a 1% share of handle in PA. The company has also switched technology platforms from SBTech to GAN and Kambi.